AJC denounces boycotts, proposals to register Muslims

By Kenneth Bandler

 

Kenneth Bandler
Kenneth Bandler

NEW YORK — The American Jewish Committee (AJC) denounced the American Anthropological Association (AAA) for supporting a boycott of Israeli academic institutions. The boycott resolution was adopted by a vote of 1,040 to 136 at the group’s annual meeting in Denver.

“The AAA’s mission is ‘advancing knowledge and solving human problems,’” said Dan Elbaum, AJC Assistant Executive Director and Director of Regional Offices. “In Denver AAA members lost sight of their mission, determining the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be solved by boycotting the colleges and universities of the Middle East’s only democracy. Only Israel’s schools of higher education, where Jews and Arabs study together, merit AAA condemnation.”

Elbaum praised the 136 AAA members who voted against the boycott resolution, and noted the introduction of a second motion that, while critical of Israeli policies, opposed BDS (boycott, discrimination and sanctions) against Israel. The resolution against BDS was defeated 1,173 to 196.

Elbaum pointed out that significant academic organizations, notably the American Association of University Professors, have steadfastly rejected the idea of academic boycotts. “Increased collaboration with Israeli institutions should be an American academic priority,” said Elbaum.

“The AAA has mistakenly succumbed to the whims of the BDS movement leaders, who have no interest in a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and consider Israel itself an illegitimate entity that has no place in the community of nations,” said Elbaum.

In another statement, AJC decried Donald Trump’s outrageous proposal to establish a government registry for Muslims in the United States.

When he was asked by an NBC reporter about requiring all Muslims living in the U.S. to register with a national database, Trump said, “I would certainly implement that – absolutely.”

“Singling out any ethnic or faith group to register with the government is morally repugnant, not to mention unconstitutional,” said AJC Executive Director David Harris. “What Mr. Trump proposes, in this case targeting all Muslims, is a horror movie that we Jews are quite familiar with. It easily can lead to heightened discrimination, persecution, and scapegoating. And, in the United States, there is no place for this kind of divisive, hateful rhetoric. Yes, we face security threats, but the right response must be focused on those individuals, of whatever background, whom our authorities believe could pose a potential danger, but not, heaven forbid, on an entire religious or national community.

“We applaud the presidential candidates who have soundly condemned this registry idea, and call on Mr. Trump to reconsider, and retract, his outlandish, un-American idea.”

AJC, a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization, does not endorse or oppose candidates for political office.

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Bandler is AJC Director of Media Relations.  Any comments in the space below should include the writer’s full name and city and state of residence, or city and country for non-U.S. residents.